But why did she have to be so insecure? Liam loved her. She had to keep believing that.
She made the call. Liam picked up on the second ring. He sounded sleepy. “Hey,” he said. “What are you up to? It’s after midnight.”
“I know. Did I wake you?”
“Yes. But that’s all right. I was getting worried. Are you okay?”
“More or less. But I had my trial today.”
She could hear him turning over and sitting up in the bed. “How did it go? Tell me.”
“The judge gave me a break because I had a clean record, but the news was still hard to take. A five-hundred-dollar fine and six months’ probation, with community service.”
“But no jail time?”
“No jail time. But six months, Liam! I can’t leave the state while I’m on probation. I can’t go back to Northwestern—or to . . . you.” Brianna had resolved to sound brave, but her voice broke.
She could hear him breathing. “Have you thought about what you’re going to do?” he asked.
“Look for a job, I guess. I can’t ask Dad to pay my fine or the lawyer’s fee. Tomorrow Allison’s going to trade in her Lexus for two good used cars, so we’ll both have something to drive. She’s been pretty cool about all this.”
“What about your dad? Is he getting any better?”
“He came home a couple of days ago. He can walk a little but he’s still in pain and pretty hard to live with. He wasn’t happy about school or the trial, but at least he won’t have to visit me behind bars.” Brianna muffled a sob. “I miss you, Liam.”
“I miss you, too. But six months isn’t forever.”
“So why does it seem that way? I know you need your work. I can’t ask you to take time off and visit me.”
“Something tells me I wouldn’t be welcome if I came. But the time will pass, and we’ll get through it. Call me, okay? I worry about you and I need to hear your voice.”
“I will. I love you, Liam.” She ended the call, dropped her phone back into her pocket, and pushed to her feet. Life was a bitch sometimes. But she’d already learned that whining was a waste of breath. Deal with it—that was all she could do.
Six months—yes, the time would pass. But where would she and Liam be at the end of it?
* * *
Allison paused outside the closed door of the downstairs bedroom, wondering whether to knock or just turn the knob and walk in. Burke had only been home four days, but the little-used guest room already seemed like alien territory. Prior to his homecoming, the room had been rearranged to allow for more floor space. The double bed had been moved against the wall, with a cushioned armchair close by. A tray table, a walker, and some exercise equipment had been moved in, and some attachments added to make the adjoining bathroom more usable.
Samuel, a husky young aide from the home care service, was another addition. For four hours a day, he helped Burke in and out of the bath, helped change his clothes and bedding, checked his healing incision, doled out his pain meds, put him through his daily physical therapy, and fixed his lunch. At the end of the week, when the insurance coverage ran out, he would be gone, and Burke would be on his own.
And that would be fine, Allison told herself. Burke was improving daily and determined to do things by himself. Allison’s efforts to help him had been coldly rebuffed. She’d hoped that their talks in the hospital would bring them closer. But the gulf between them was widening with each day she remained at home. He was a proud man, accustomed to being in charge of his business and his home life. Now that control was slipping away, leaving a helpless rage in its place.
Allison could sense what was happening. But how could she just stand back and wring her hands while her husband’s world was falling apart?
Yesterday she’d traded in the Lexus for two used Honda Civics and given Brianna first choice of the cars. Now that they both had transportation, it was time to go to work. She had already let Garrett know that she’d be starting at the agency tomorrow. Now, just one step remained—telling Burke.
Allison had been tempted to fabricate a story about the job. But sooner or later Burke would have to know the truth. Confronting him would be painful, but it would be better than keeping a lie between them.
She was raising her hand to knock when the door opened partway. Samuel stepped out into the hall, closing the door behind him. He wore his jacket and carried the leather satchel that held his medical equipment.
“Leaving so soon, Samuel?” Allison asked, surprised.
“Leaving for good, I’m afraid,” the young man said. “Your husband just dismissed me and told me not to come back.”
“But . . . you’ve been doing a fine job. What happened?”
“Nothing, really. I was helping him walk, trying to work on his posture and his gait, and suddenly he just stopped, saying he’d had enough and that he could manage by himself from here on out, and I wasn’t to come back. He didn’t sound angry, just frustrated and very firm.”